Emma Watson has discussed her rift with author JK Rowling, with whom she and some other Harry Potter cast members now share a fractured relationship.
Recent years have seen Rowling become one of the most prominent figures in the discourse over transgender issues, with her widely-criticised views causing a schism between her and some within the Harry Potter movies’ cast.
Watson, alongside fellow co-stars Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint, have all previously distanced themselves from Rowling’s opinions and spoken out in support of transgender rights. But in a new and lengthy discussion of the situation on the Jay Shetty Podcast, Watson said she no longer wanted to “weaponize a really toxic debate and conversation,” that she disagreed with cancel culture, and eventually hoped to reconcile with the author “one day.”
“I really don’t believe that by having had that experience and holding the love and support and views that I have, mean that I can’t and don’t treasure Jo and the person that I had personal experiences with,” Watson said, when asked about specific comments made by Rowling that have exemplified their fractured relationship.
In April 2024, Rowling said that “celebs” should “save their apologies” when asked whether she was waiting on contact from Radcliffe and Watson following the publication of a major review into the UK’s gender identity services. Then, this year, Rowling was asked: “What actor/actress instantly ruins a movie for you?” She replied: “Three guesses. Sorry, but that was irresistable,” before adding three laughing emojis.
“I think it’s my deepest wish that I hope people who don’t agree with my opinion will love me,” Watson continued, “and I hope I can keep loving people who I don’t necessarily share the same opinion with. And I think that’s a very, very important way for me that I need to move through life.
“I really do believe in having conversations and that those are really important,” she added. “And I guess where I’ve landed is, it’s not so much what we say or what we believe, but very often how we say it that’s really important. And that’s really frustrating and not what you want to hear when you’re really angry and upset with someone.
“But, I don’t know, I see this world right now where we seem to be giving permission for this kind of ‘throwing out’ of people, or that people are disposable. And I will always think that’s wrong. I believe that no one’s disposable and everyone, as far as possible, whatever the conversation is, should and can be treated with, at the very least, dignity and respect.”
Much of the conversation surrounding Watson, Rowling and other former cast members has played out publicly — and indeed, speaking during an interview with The Times last month, Harry Potter movie director Chris Columbus suggested that a reunion between Watson, her co-stars and Rowling was “never going to happen” due to the “political stuff” involved.
“I think the thing I’m most upset about is that a conversation was never made possible,” Watson replied when asked about direct contact with Rowling, before indicating she remained open to dialogue with the author.
“I always will [be],” she continued. “I believe in that. I believe in that completely. I just don’t want to say anything that continues to weaponize a really toxic debate and conversation. Which is maybe why I don’t comment, or don’t continue to comment. Not because I don’t care about her, or about the issue, but because the way the conversation is being had feels really painful to me.”
Reflecting on her past relationship with Rowling, Watson praised the author, and ultimately said she hoped things could “one day resolve”, even if there was also the chance “they never will.”
“Her kindness and words of encouragement, and that steadfastness, and also honestly just as a young women, for her to have written that character, created that world,” she continued. “There’s just no world in which I could ever cancel her out, or cancel that out for anything. It has to remain true, it is true… I just don’t know what else to do other than hold these two seemingly incompatible things together at the same time and just hope maybe they will one day resolve, or co-join themselves, and maybe accept they never will, but that they can both still be true.
“And I can love her, I can know she loved me, I can be grateful to her, I can know the things that she said are true, and that can be this whole other thing. And my job feels like to just hold all of it, but the bigger thing is just what she’s done will never be taken away from me.”
Earlier this week, in a separate interview, Watson addressed her recent break from acting, and discussed why she had largely stepped away from the public eye. Back in the world of Harry Potter, the franchise is currently being rebooted by HBO with a lavish TV production now shooting.
Image credit: Jay Shetty Podcast.
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
